Clueless
by One face Two souls
Summary: Everyone in this world has one true love. But for some hams it doesn't dawn on them. That's where I come in. Rated T for violence and romance.
1. Chapter 1

First Hamtaro fanfic! Yayz... uh... Constructive criticism is welcome. Enjoy!

**Clueless **

**Prologue:**

_Everyone in this world has one true love, someone they are meant to spend the rest of their life with. Some search far and wide for this one while some don't see them right in front of their noses._

_It's funny really when you spend most of your life as friends with someone, not realizing they want you as more then a friend._

_For some Hams it just doesn't dawn on them. That's where I come in. The last group I helped were so oblivious about love; I just wanted to strangle them. Of course I didn't! _

_You want to know the story? All right… where to begin?_

"Maybe there's a God above,

But all I've ever learned from love,

Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya.

And it's not a cry that you hear at night,

It's not somebody who's seen the light,

It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-ujah."

As the last note died on the breeze the young ham stopped rowing with his spoon and sat back in his tuna can boat. He pulled a wheat grain out of his rucksack and started nibbling on it.

He peeked out at the water and noticed, with pleasure that the current was carrying him downstream. He leaned down, filled a bowl with water and took a few sips.

Suddenly he was thrown forward, breaking the bowl and smashing his nose against the bottom of his boat. The ham groaned and clutched his nose, blood seeping out between his paws.

He struggled into a standing position, and what he saw caused his blood to freeze in his veins. He had time for one startled yell before his boat crashed into the rocks and threw him out into the flowing river. As the cold silence enveloped him, he started to panic.

His hoodie and rucksack were waterlogged and started to drag him down into the pristine depths. He kicked hard with his back paws and shot up to the surface, coughing and gasping for breath. The current pulled him downstream, throwing him against rocks as he struggled to keep his head afloat.

In his half conscious state the young ham almost missed the branch sticking out from the shore, but his paws managed to grip it and hang on. He hung there for a while; the water pushing him forward, him muscles screaming in pain and the thought of letting go and ending it all weighed heavily on his mind.

Then a stronger voice entered his mind relying a different message. With the last of his strength he hauled himself up and threw himself up on the shore.

He lay on the grass, blood leaking out of the many cuts that now covered his body. He knew he should keep moving but his body refused to budge and shut down on him.

He fell asleep, a small wet fur ball, alone and lost… but still alive.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"It's like he doesn't even notice me! I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk with me and he like totally blew me off for his book!" Sandy buried her face in her paws while Bijou rested a paw around her friend's shoulders.

The boys left the clubhouse only minutes before to play acorn soccer or something, leaving Sandy, Bijou, Pashmina and Penelope alone for their "girl time."

"I underzand how you feel Sandy." Bijou consoled her friend. "I asked 'amtaro if zer was sombody 'e liked, and 'e said 'e liked me…" Sandy raised her head, and Pashmina leaned forward expectantly "and Boss and Cappy and everyone of 'is friends."

Bijou started tearing up and it was Sandy's turn to comfort her friend.

"At least you two don't have two boy-hams fighting over you all day." Pashmina finally spoke, causing the other girl-hams to look at her.

Pashmina was usually very reserved, especially when talking about Dexter and Howdy. Before questions could be asked about her outburst, the door to the clubhouse slammed open. Boss, Cappy, Panda, and Stan came running through, ignored the girls completely and disappeared into Boss's room.

"What?" Sandy started as the boy-hams reappeared carrying a stretcher the hams had made when Stan had twisted his ankle playing tag. "What happened?" Sandy asked her brother, praying it had nothing to do with Maxwell.

Stan was huffing from his mad dash back, but managed to reply. "We found some ham" *gasp* "by the river" *huff* "he's really hurt!"

/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=//=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/==/=/=//=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/==/=/=/=/=/=/==//=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/==/=/=

"O.K. hams lower him down carefully... Carefully! Cappy! Carefully doesn't mean drop him!"

Cappy gritted his teeth as the stretcher moved slowly through the clubhouse before being deposited on the table in the center of the main room.

Stan, Cappy and Panda all sighed as the weight was removed from their shoulders while Boss just shrugged it off.

The whole clubhouse (with the exception of Snoozer) all gathered around the still form, unsure of what to do next.

Maxwell took charge, pushing his way to the ham's side. He took his paw and placed it on the other hams forehead, then his nose from where a steady stream of blood was running onto the stretcher, staining it red.

"O.K. I'm going to need blankets and the first-aid kit in Boss's room." No one moved. "Alright... Oxnard blankets, Sandy first-aid kit, Hamtaro help me remove the wet clothes. Everyone else outside, I need space to think. NOW!"

Hams scattered doing what Maxwell requested, while Hamtaro moved forward. "O.K. Hamtaro first his backpack, alright now the hoodie. Carefull! Don't move him too much."

As the hoodie was removed the sound of something hitting the floor caused Maxwell to look down. The light reflected brightly off the object and Hamtaro bent over to pick it up.

"Hamtaro, don't!" But it was too late. Hamtaro grabbed the knife by the blade, it cut deeply into his paw and he yelled, tossing the knife away.

Maxwell didn't have time to react as the knife flew directly at his heart!

Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up soon hopefully. And sorry it's short but it's the prologue so... R+R for continuation


	2. Chapter 2

Hi everyone! First off BIG thanks to DolphinGoddess 17 and Sun Lion for the reviews. Uh... to Maxwell-Sandy-shrine123, I don't know what you were trying to say... If it was good, thank you, and if you think I need improvement, by all means give me some constructive criticism. Just please don't leave me confused. Thanks! And of course, Thank you to DolphinGoddess 17 for beta reading for me (I own you one)! Oh I almost forgot... I don't own Hamtaro, the song Hallelujah, or any other songs that will be included. However the character of Cy is mine. MINE! Uh... onto the story.

_Pain, unbelievable pain, was pulsing all over my body. There was nothing else, just that and cold. Wait... there are voices. I can hear them but my eyes... I can't open my eyes to see. I need to know but... I can't. I'm being carried somewhere. I... I'm so tired. I can't stay awake._

Sandy grabbed the door handle to Boss' room and twisted. She pushed the door open, a little harder than she meant to, causing the door to smash into the wall. Sandy flinched at the sudden loud noise, but she shrugged it off and moved forward into the room.

She reached for a light switch, but her paw felt none on the wall. From the dim light cast forward by the hallway through the open door she noticed a lamp next to Boss' bed.

Sandy walked slowly toward the lamp, as the darkness surrounded her, and a small twinge of panic set in. Ever since she could remember, she had been afraid of the dark. Not completely terrified, but just scared enough so that her fur would stand on end a bit, and she'd feel eyes all over her whenever she was alone in a situation like that. Maybe that's part of the reason she enjoyed being on stage so much, the bright lights banishing the darkness away from her.

Her thoughts snapped back to the present as her back paw caught on something and she fell flat on her stomach, but luckily she was just within reach of the lamp and reached up to click it on. From her prone position, Sandy turned and stared at the object that had tripped her. Boss' shovel lay on the ground a little ways behind , and before she threw it halfway across the clubhouse, she noticed a small white box sticking out from under the bed. She reached again and pulled the box towards herself, smiling slightly as she saw a red cross on the front of it. Sandy jumped to her feet, turned off the lamp, and ran out of the now dark room, mindful to step over the shovel this time.

Oxnard appeared from another room carrying a stack of blankets. She joined him, and the two started walking back to Maxwell.

"So Oxnard, what happened? I mean like, with that ham."

"Oh... Well, we were playing acorn soccer, and Boss kicked the acorn really far. When we went to look for it, we found him just past the rapids. It was horrible! I thought he was dead!"

Before either of them could continue their conversation, a scream rang out from the main room.

"That was Hamtaro!" Oxnard exclaimed and took off, the mountain of blankets wobbling dangerously. Sandy watched as Oxnard staggered slightly, causing the blankets to fall and himself to trip, landing on them. Sandy stepped over the now struggling form of Oxnard, who was tangled up, and ran towards the main room. When the interior of the room came into Sandy's view, her eyes grew wide in confusion.

Hamtaro was sitting in a chair grimacing as another hamster wrapped a bandage around his paw. In the meanwhile, Maxwell was propped up against the wall nearby. His paws that had clutched at the hilt of a knife were covered in blood.

Sandy's vision grew blurred, her head spun, and she felt sick. Maxwell couldn't be... dead right? Hamtaro looked up and noticed Sandy for the first time.

"Hey Sandy..." he started, causing the other ham to turn around. The hamster stared at Sandy for a moment before following her gaze to Maxwell.

"Oh him, he'll be fine." His voice was rugged and dismissive.

Sandy couldn't believe her ears. "He'll be fine?" she shrieked. "He has a knife sticking out of his chest! So what? If I like, stabbed you in the chest, you'd be fine?"

The ham's paws were massaging his temples. "Look sweetheart..." he started, much to Sandy's indignation, "I just went over rapids. I'm tired, I'm sore, and your yelling isn't helping me at all. Now as for your friend, why don't you actually take a look? He's fine."

Sandy could only stare at the ham as returned her stare to Hamtaro. Her eyes shifted over to Maxwell once more and she started moving forward slowly, her gaze fixed on Maxwell's pallid face for any signs of life. It was only when she had moved within a few pawsteps of him, that she saw what the hamster was talking about. The knife had stuck itself all the way up to it's hilt... in Maxwell's book.

"Lucky, eh?" A voice caused Sandy to jump. She spun around and faced the ham. "Er... Cy." he said sticking out his paw.

It took Sandy a moment to realize what he was trying to do. "Sandy." Sandy replied with grabbing for his paw, but he pulled his back quickly.

"Sorry, I forgot... My paws" He held them up for her inspection. They were very badly cut, some had slivers of wood sticking out.

"I was trying to retrieve my knife from your friends book, but he had a death-grip on it. I got some blood on him by mistake. Cats, I need to be patched up! Wait... Can I borrow that first-aid kit?" Cy was eyeing the box which Sandy still hung onto.

She nodded dumbly and handed it to him.. Suddenly a thought popped into her head. "Hey Cy, if Maxwell's fine, then why is he like..." She trailed off, trying to find the right word.

Cy was tying off a bandage on his one paw with his other paw and teeth. He tightened it with a quick jerk of his head, and flexed his paw experimentally. He finally raised his eyes from his work. "His name is Maxwell? Anyway, the big tough guy fainted, I tried to wake him up, but he'll be out for a while." Cy said, as he sat down on the floor and started wrapping gauze around a particularly deep cut on his leg.

Sandy glanced at Maxwell, then back at Cy. She studied him for the first time since he was brought in. He was young, not Cappy or Penelope young, a little younger than herself maybe. His fur was completely black, except for two white bands around his wrists. His black hoodie lay forgotten in the corner, his rucksack was emptied on the ground. Two sunflower seeds, a bottle, a coil of rope and a strip of gauze littered the floor. The only other thing he owned (besides the knife) was the leather band on his arm. It looked just like a bracelet, but it had a long, thin pocket attached that ended in a point.

Suddenly something dawned on Sandy. Oxnard was still in the hall, most likely unable to move. "Hamtaro, could you go get Oxnard? He's stuck in the hall." She said, and as Hamtaro started moving she added, " And tell him what happened, please, so he doesn't totally freak out when he comes in here."

Hamtaro nodded and left the room to do what Sandy had requested, while Sandy herself moved to Maxwell's side. She stared at Cy, who had finished with the first-aid kit and was know kneeling on Maxwell's other side.

Cy stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So I'm guessing Maxwell likes books, right?" Cy asked and Sandy snorted with laughter.

"_Likes_ books? That's soooo an understatement! He _loves_ them! Books are the most important things in his life." Sandy noticed she now had tears dripping down her cheeks and turned her face away from Cy's, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her paws. When she had regained her composure, she turned back to Cy who was staring at her, not with the usual confused expression most of the boy hams had when it came to problems like this, but with sympathy.

"He's special to you, isn't he? Don't try to deny it. I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at him." Sandy's jaw opened slightly in awe. Cy had figured something out in a few minutes that Maxwell hadn't figured out since she knew him.

Cy moved forward and whispered something in Maxwell's ear. Maxwell instantly shot up to his back paws, looking around wildly. Cy took the moment to yank his knife free from Maxwell's book and stuff it into the pocket on his bracelet. He then stood up and started walking away. He stopped and called over his shoulder, "Sandy would you mind explaining everything to Maxwell? I need a nap."

Suddenly the door to the Clubhouse burst open and hams poured in chattering excitedly. Cy had appeared next to Sandy. "Well, there goes my nap." He sighed.

Sandy grabbed his wrist and spun him around to face her. "What did you tell Maxwell?" She hissed.

Cy freed himself from her grasp, smiled, and patted her head. He whispered something in her ear then left to greet the other ham-hams.

"I told him the library was on fire."

-

That was fun! Introducing my O.C. Cy! Anyway R+R please! Your comments make me a better writer (not to mention happy). Oh and to avoid any confusion his name is said like the word _sigh. _That's how you say it! Strange eh?


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone, thanks to TheSongInside for reviewing. Thank you to DolphinGoddess for the review and beta reading. And to G71TC4 42… Stay away from my, DolphinGoddess's and anyone else's stories. Seriously you're not impressing anyone. And you may review when you write a good story on your own. So don't even, I will ignore you.

_I'll remember that moment for the rest of my life. Seeing her… I felt my heart swell with a sensation I had not bore for a long time. Some don't believe in love at first sight, and I was always one of them. But she was beautiful, and now I know that such love at first sight is real. However, I have a very positive feeling that it will never happen; she and I, I've not the time to study these hamsters, but I'm sure half the ham-boys are chasing after her. I was always one to help love, not one to experience it for myself…  
_  
Sandy breathed in the clean fresh air as she walked to the Clubhouse, following the usual rout which was burned into her memory. All things considered, yesterday went pretty well. Cy was introduced to everyone and spoke to Boss about staying at the Clubhouse with him. Then he finally got his sleep, promising to answer all questions in the morning.

Sandy's thoughts wandered to the edgy black ham. Sure he was cute, and he had some sort of mysterious charm, but really, Maxwell had been her crush for about as long as she could remember being a part of the Ham-hams and she wasn't ever one to give up on a challenge.

The striped girl smiled slightly as her daydream switched to her bookworm of a friend. After she explained to him that the library was not incinerating, he had calmed himself enough to recount what had happened earlier. About Hamtaro, the knife, and how it ended up in his book. He was very shaken up by his near death experience, so much so that he didn't leave Sandy's side for the entire day. He said that having known of someone being next to him was calming. For Sandy it was really just an excuse to hold his paw. A blush crept over her face as the memories surged back to her, about how happy she was to be with him. Suddenly, she realized she was at the Clubhouse door and that her paw was already resting on its handle. But her unyielding fantasies made it hard for her to enter. She backed away from the door and stood there, waiting for her face to stop burning.

When Sandy had composed herself enough, she opened the door and finally walked inside. She scanned the room, her eyes searching for two hams in particular. Maxwell was sitting in his usual chair, reading a new book. It was a red one, but anything more about it than that, Sandy couldn't tell. Cy was a little harder to spot, though since he looked more like a shadow than an actual living being. He was now wearing his dried hoodie, the hood pulled over his face. He was talking to Cappy, while Penelope tugged at his arm. Maxwell, of course, didn't even lift his head when Sandy entered the Clubhouse, but Cy did. He waved at her, then made his way over, while Penelope still persistently gripped at his paw. Cy stopped in front of Sandy, and was about to speak with her, when he knelt down and looked at Penelope.

"Alright. I'll play hide and seek with you in a minute, but later I've got other things that have to be done, you hear me?" Penelope nodded and skipped off to Pashmina's side.

Cy stood up and smiled slightly at Sandy. "Cute kid, but she should learn to be more careful. I mean, I just show up here and she's already asking me to play games. This world is full of hams that aren't very nice. She can't really think that she'll be able to ask strange hams to play hide and go seek with her for the rest of her life."

"Oh and I suppose you're one of these 'not nice hams' right?" Sandy asked, her paws on her hips. Cy just grinned, so Sandy continued. "She's  
totally just a little kid; you can't expect her to worry about every little thing."

To her surprise, Cy only smiled wider and replied. "I guess you're right. Hey… it's nice to see you too."

Sandy blushed at that, in spite of herself. She mumbled a goodbye to him then started making her way over to Maxwell, greeting her other friends as she passed. Sandy stopped in front of Maxwell, who still hadn't even acknowledged her arrival. She stood there twiddling her paws, whatever she had wanted to say, she had completely forgotten. After a few moments, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Uh… Is that a new book, Max?" Stupid!

Maxwell tore his eyes from the book and gazed up at her, a smile flickering across his face. "No. I've read this one before, but my other one was destroyed so…"

"Aw… Maxwell that's sooooo lame, reading the same book twice." Sandy whined and sat on the edge of his chair.

Maxwell closed the book and moved over slightly to give her more room. "Well what do you suggest I do then?" he asked.

'Come on, Sandy! Now's your chance! Ask him to go someplace with you!'

The idea sounded great in her head but her lips slipped and stumbled over the words. "W-w-well we could always go o…" She was interrupted by Cy, who cut in rather quickly with a look of slight annoyance on his face.

"Maxwell, was it?" Cy asked, sticking his now bandaged paw out for a handshake.

'So close! I was so close!' Sandy nearly screamed out loud, but managed to contain it to her head.

Maxwell though, didn't notice Sandy's unhappiness and shook his paw with Cy's. "Ah! That's right. My name is Maxwell. I hope you're feeling better this morning." Maxwell replied, and Cy nodded slightly.

"Still a little sore, but I'll live. Anyway, to make up for rushing off yesterday, I promised to answer questions today. You're a smart guy. I'm sure you have about a hundred questions for me so… shoot." Cy stood back, his paws crossed.

"Oh Cy, I really don't have anything to ask you. And if you could, please go away since Sandy was about to ask me something." That's what Sandy wished he would've said.

But like the rest of her dreams, it was meant to remain only in her mind.

"Alright Cy, where did you come from, and how'd you end up here?" Maxwell asked pensively.

Cy looked up slightly as if trying to remember. "I'm a wanderer, have been since I could remember. Travel from place to place, never staying for too long. I've met a lot of interesting hams along the way. I sing a little, and I am a studier of ham behavior, which basically means I learn about hams by the way they move, speak, look, or act. Uh… For example see the big fellow over there?" Cy pointed over at Boss.

"Well from what I've seen, he acts tough and uses his size to back it up. But his eyes contain a glimmer of fear. He also has a crush on that 'petite fleur' over there." He pointed again, this time at Bijou, who was talking to Pashmina.

Sandy stared in stunned silence at him, while Maxwell uttered a soft, "amazing!"

"It's not too hard. I could teach you a little bit, if you like." Cy offered.

"Sure!" Maxwell said enthusiastically. "Wait, Sandy was going to say  
something first." Maxwell turned back to her.

"Never mind." Sandy heard herself squeak, and with that she left, the image of Cy's satisfied smirk impressed into her memory.

A little random I know, but I needed to build Cy's character somehow so…R+R please.(for non french people, petit fleur means little flower)


	4. Chapter 4

Hey everyone! Chapter 4. Wow, I never thought this story would last this long, but thanks to your support it did, thanks so much! Anyway thanks to sandyandmaxwellfanatic for reviewing, and to the always pleasant DolphinGoddess 17 for beta reading.

_Harmony… I met her once; she was trying to get a young couple back together, but of course she wasn't helping at all. She needed to learn that you can't just wave a star wand and command through the power of love that two hamsters forgive each other._

_It's more complicated then that, so much more that I can't even begin to explain it._

_But one thing I can say, some are meant to be, others are not…_

_And I will do anything to stop bad relationships from starting._

"I was this close to asking him out…" Sandy made a pinching motion to show how close she was, "and then Cy like, totally cut me off and steered the conversation towards himself!" She propped her head in her paws and stared at Bijou and Pashmina. "I don't get it… What's his problem?"

Cy had been staying at the Clubhouse for about a week and already was disturbing some of the usual residents, specifically the girls. When he wasn't talking with Cappy, playing games with Penelope, or hanging out with Sandy, he was on the second floor watching. He called it _studying_ but it was kinda creepy. So the girls pushed the guys (including Cy) outside for their weekly 'girl time'. Their conversations surprisingly, were not about how clueless the boys were, but how to deal with the dark and mysterious ham among them that seemed to know too much.

Pashmina looked at the table slightly downcast. "I know what you mean Sandy. I asked him where he used to live and he told me it was none of my business and walked away! He's really weird." She mused.

"Ookwee!" A voice rang out, causing Pashmina to pat the younger hamster's head affectionately.

"We know you like him Penelope, but for us… um." Pashmina struggled to find the right way to explain to her.

"Sandy… I zink I know why 'e acts zo strange…" Bijou started, and then stopped as if embarrassed of what she would say next.

Pashmina, however, had no problem telling Sandy the obvious. "Sandy! He has a crush on you!"

There was complete silence around the table. Bijou was staring at Pashmina, shock plastered on her face. Pashmina had both paws over her mouth, unsure why she had blurted that out. Penelope looked around confused, unaware of what exactly had just happened. Sandy remained still, her head still propped up with no sign of understanding on her face.

"Sandy..?" Bijou started in a worried voice.

Sandy suddenly fell off her chair with a resounding crash. Both Bijou and Pashmina jumped to their paws, but Sandy sat up on the floor. Her eyes were wide with confusion, and her mouth was opening and closing like a fish's. There was more uncomfortable silence, in which Pashmina and Bijou sat back down. The silence was quickly broken by the sound of the front door being smashed into the back wall.

Heads whipped around and faced the three that were standing there. Howdy was in between Dexter and Panda. He had his arms thrown around their shoulders and one foot-paw was lifted slightly off the ground. The girls stared, their eyes narrowed, Pashmina turned and whispered something to Bijou that Sandy couldn't hear. Then Pashmina stood up and strolled over to them, a worried expression on her face. Bijou flashed Sandy a quick smirk, and indicated for Sandy to watch.

Pashmina stopped in front of the boys and asked in a voice laced with concern. "Howdy, what happened to your paw?"

Howdy grimaced slightly, and Dexter answered for him, "He tripped over a tree root. I think he twisted his ankle. Boss sent us back here to let him rest and maybe we could put a bandage on it."

Pashmina nodded understandingly and motioned for the boys to set Howdy down on the table. She lifted his paw up onto another seat, and smiled sweetly at him. "So Howdy, does it hurt a lot?" she asked, brushing her paw against his.

Howdy blushed and swallowed hard, but he managed a nod.

Penelope squeaked something and ran off towards the bedrooms, but the girls were to focused on what was about to unfold to notice her absence

"Alright just keep it elevated, anyway… Could someone get the first-aid kit?" she requested, looking at Howdy expectantly.

He fell for it.

"Sure thing Darlin'." Howdy jumped up and raced out of the room.

Pashmina crossed her arms and glared at the remaining two hams. They both stood shock still for a few moments before Panda burst out "It was Boss's idea!"

Dexter nodded in agreement, causing the girl-hams to sigh in defeat. Bijou pointed at the door. "Just go, oui?"

Dexter and Panda beat a hasty retreat. They hadn't been outside for more then a few seconds when Howdy came bustling back into the room.

"Err… Where is it?" he asked. When he received only cold stares back, realization crossed his face. He stared at his paw in mock wonderment. "Well I'll be… It's a miracle!"

Pashmina simply pointed at the door, and he was gone.

She sighed and shook her head. "The nerve of them, trying to listen to our conversation!"

"You're right, some hams have no respect for others' privacy."

Pashmina let out an ear piercing squeal and tried to leap to her paws, tripped over her chair, and fell to the ground.

Cy stared at her for a moment, a half eaten acorn in his paw, before he burst into a fit of laughter. It was cut abruptly short by a smack from Penelope, who was seated on his shoulders.

Cy rubbed his head ruefully and glared at Penelope, causing the younger ham to scowl back.

He turned back to find Pashmina, who had stood up, with her face was completely red. She took a deep breath and was about to let him have it.

Cy gently removed Penelope from his shoulders and sent her over to Bijou. He then faced Pashmina a bored look on his face.

She exploded.

"What is _wrong_ with you? You just show up here and now you're acting like you own the place! And why are you even in here? You're not suppose to… You're suppose to… You're so… so… "

As Pashmina had been yelling Cy was moving closer to her. Eventually he was face to face with her, his mouth only inches from hers. She trailed off, and her face became even redder (if that was even possible). He cocked his head to the side and moved slightly closer.

"I'm so… what?" He asked, but Pashmina's voice had long abandoned her. So he continued. "You don't mind if I stayed here… Do you?"

Pashmina shook her head dumbly and he smiled at her. Slowly, ever so slowly, his paw raised and patted her cheek.

He spun around and sat at the table. The spell was broken, and Pashmina slowly regained her calm, sitting down as far as possible from him.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Howdy came scrambling out of the tunnel and was instantly tackled to the ground by Dexter. He was shaken roughly as Dexter yelled at him. "You idiot! We were so close! You ruined our only chance to see who Pashmina likes!"

Howdy vainly tried to push Dexter off of him, but he couldn't muster the strength. But luck was with Howdy that day. Boss and the rest of the ham-boys, had walked over. Boss yanked Dexter to one side.

"You knuckleheads! Did you really think that the girls would just tell you all their secrets? No, not you, but maybe someone else…"

Panda tilted his head slightly, confused. "Wait Boss… then why did you send us in there?"

Boss sighed and explained, "If the girls were paying attention to your 'injury' Howdy, then it could be really easy for some-ham to slip in unnoticed!"

Maxwell voiced his opinion, "Boss, maybe we should just let the girls be."

At the same time, Hamtaro noticed something.

"Hey… where's Cy?"

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

P.S. Oh right I might not be updating as much… back to school, part-time job. So talk to you guys later

-OfTs


	5. Chapter 5

Bonjour er... Hi everyone! I just got back from France and I wrote you guys this chapter at 2 am! So enjoy! Oh and thanks to Super Streakz for the review and the first favourite for the story! You rock man! Anyways to continue...

_Cy sat back in his chair, listening intently to every word the girls said. They were trying to get rid of him, he could tell. The subjects they focused on were mind numbingly boring; crafts, trips for the ham-hams to go on,__ and their owners. He almost spat every time they mentioned how great their owners were, or what they had been told about this 'school' place. People were pointless; hamsters could survive perfectly well without them. He was doing just fine, he didn't need him. _

_His eyes started roaming, and they slowly came to rest on her. She was nodding at something one of the other ham-girls had said. Whenever he looked at her it just… messed him up, he couldn't think straight. His heart would beat quicker and his tongue would swell. Is this what love feels like? The feeling had been explained to him numerous times by a multitude of different hams, but for him to feel that way? No… impossible, he made a pact to himself; personal problems would never affect those he was trying to help. But she makes him rethink everything he had ever known._

"_What are you doing to me?" he whispered quietly. _

* * *

"This'll be easy, we'll just talk him out of here; he'll be gone in a few minutes. It won't take to long." Sandy thought.

And as the girls talked, debated, discussed, and argued; minuets turned to hours, with Cy still sitting, his eyes hidden under his hood. Finally the girls ran out of subjects, so they just sat giving him dirty looks. Suddenly his ears pricked up and he crept towards the door. Sandy stared at him quizzically, he motioned for her to come closer. He placed his ear against the door and pointed for her to do the same. She was confused, but did as he instructed, and what she heard startled her immensely.

"Come on guys I can't hear a single thing!"

"Boss your standing on my paw!"

"Shut up Panda! If you don't stop talking…"

Sandy could make out another voice, over the rest.

"Guys I don't really think we should um… guys I um…"

Sandy smiled slightly; of course Maxwell would respect her privacy.

She felt Cy gently push her away from the door, leaving his hand on her shoulder a little longer then required, drawing a blush from Sandy.

He placed his mouth against the door and yelled, the loudest yell Sandy had ever heard. From the other side of the door there were sounds of surprise and the sound of hams running back up the tunnel.

Cy flung the door open and grabbed the wrists of Hamtaro and Maxwell, who were still standing there (as they were not pressed against the door) and dragged them into the room, Oxnard following far behind.

"Cy! Why did you… That wasn't very nice!" Pashmina shouted at him. Cy dropped Maxwell off in front of Sandy, and placed Hamtaro beside Bijou; before retiring to his room. Maxwell fiddled nervously with his book, avoiding Sandy's gaze.

"Err… we weren't um… listening to you." Maxwell scuffed the ground with his foot-paw; then raised his eyes to meet hers. "Well at least Hamtaro, Oxnard and myself did not. Boss was wondering where Cy had gone, and it somehow evolved into eavesdropping on you." He smirked slightly. "They got what they deserved I guess. But that was pretty harsh; their hearing will be damaged for awhile. But anyway I just remembered the other day; you wanted to ask me something, right?"

He smiled sweetly at her, causing Sandy's knees to buckle slightly. Sandy's tongue started to swell, and she couldn't speak, but managed to make a small squeaking noise, that caused Maxwell to chuckle slightly.

"Would you like to go for a walk?"

It was if Harmony herself had given Sandy a freebee. She heard the sounds of a chorus singing; but was brought back to earth when she was bumped by Cy, hurrying out the door. He turned and spoke harshly; "Watch where you're going!" He then pointed at Pashmina, to who he spoke in a very condescending tone. "Hey, you! The world isn't nice, grow up and smell the alfalfa! You can either be mean and live or be nice and… Fill in the blanks yourself." He then adjusted the rope coiled around his shoulder and exited out the door calling over his shoulder "They'll be angry, you guys better scoot before they come back."

Sandy stood, jaw agape at the young ham's sudden change of mood. Maxwell cleared his throat and broke the silence. "Um… well yes. Sandy would you still like to go?" He asked offering his paw.

Sandy gratefully took it and they both started walking towards the door, their paws falling to their sides, still intertwined.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sandy and Maxwell were seated on a rock overlooking the pristine calm of the river. The sun was sinking over the horizon turning the water into liquid gold. Sandy breathed out and spoke for the first time since Maxwell brought her here. "Wow, it's so beautiful." She blushed slightly as Maxwell squeezed her paw and replied. "Just like you."

That of course caused Sandy to blush as red as a beet. There was an uncomfortable silence before Maxwell asked the million dollar question. "Sandy when were you planning on telling me about your feelings?"

"Cats! Pashmina why would you tell him?" Sandy cursed quietly.

"Sandy is it true? Do you l-like me?" Maxwell chuckled nervously.

Sandy took a deep breath, her mind was racing at 100 miles a second; her entire crush on him had boiled down to this single moment.

"W-w-well y-y-yes I d-do…"

She was cut off by Maxwell's lips pressed against hers. Her eyes stretched open wide, before slowly closing as she gave into the blissful ignorance that comes from a kiss.

He sat against the tree a few meters away watching them, while his paw twirled his knife experimentally. "_This was not supposed to happen. Not like this. Problems were something that must be fixed, and they can be fixed." _

Suddenly he plunged the knife into the ground.

"_Just like that." _

* * *

DolphinGoddess17 has been under a lot of stress lately so I won't burden her with beta reading. That job now falls upon you the readers. R+R and mistakes, inconsistencies or to tell me you like it, or whatever. Hope you enjoyed it (even if it was pretty pointless)!


	6. Chapter 6

Well Here we are, chater 6 now? Ya chater 6 sounds about right. Thanks to the following; my friend and classmate for review and favourite. Luna La Pond and AyameKira15 for the favourite but no review... hm. And of course to DolphinGoddess17 for the review! I just got a laptop so I might be able to update a bit faster. So hopefully you like this chapter...

"_Do you really think I'd let the perfect girl slip through my paws? No, for once in my life I have a chance to actually be happy, and nothing is going to stop me... Ah! Who am I kidding? There's no way to get her... he seems to love her too much. But really, she deserves way more then he is giving her." Cy exhaled loudly and adjusted his rope so it fit more snugly over his shoulders. Suddenly his ears pricked up to the sound of laughter off in the distance. He instinctively dropped into a crouch, ears pressed against his head. One word popped into his head, Sandy. With the grace and cold efficiency of a shadow he glided across, towards the voices, that became clearer the closer he got. He pressed up against a tree and listened intently to the love struck conversation, he peaked around the corner to see Maxwell sitting propped against a rock with Sandy's head in his lap. He bent over to plant a kiss on her face. Cy's eyes grew wide and his arm moved ever so slightly causing his knife to drop into his outstretched paw. His muscles tensed and he leaped, aiming directly at Maxwell. There was no way he would let this happen._

Sandy leaned back against Maxwell a smile permanently etched on her face. She and Maxwell had been an item for about a week now and this was their second date since they started going out and Sandy had never been happier.

Pashmina denied any involvement in telling Maxwell about Sandy's crush on him, but Bijou wouldn't have told any of the boys Sandy's secret, and Penelope was too young to even understand, so that left Pashmina. Of course Sandy wasn't mad, not in the least. If it wasn't for Pashmina's meddling, Sandy's brain would still freeze up around Maxwell, and she wouldn't even be here with him.

She raised her eyes to his as he was absentmindedly stroking her ears. He smiled the same smile that took her breath away, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. The silence was broken by a loud rustle behind them and a shadowy figure grabbed them both and threw them hard to the ground.

Sandy tried to scream, to kick, to do something, but the figure had her pinned against the grass. From the corner of her eye however she saw a glint of metal, and a white band of fur around the wielders wrist. Then an all too familiar voice hissed in her ear. "Shut up, unless you want to get us all killed."

Cy will still for moment, and then he tensed. "Cats... Oh great. Alright let's go!"

The weight was lifted as Cy dashed towards the line of trees on the far side of the clearing. As he got close a huge golden shape burst from the undergrowth. Cy skidded slightly then quickly changed direction to avoid the cat's claws. Sandy just lay on the ground unable to tear her eyes off of the scene in front of her, a small black blur dodging between slashing claws and crushing paws. Maxwell however was already moving. He gently picked her up and carried her behind the rock they were just moments before seated next to in perfect tranquility.

"W-we have to... help." Sandy told him.

Maxwell popped his head over the rock, and examined the situation. "We may not have to." He murmured to Sandy, who climbed shakily to her feet and followed his gaze to where Cy was... spinning in a circle? "What is he..?"

The cat reached out a paw towards him, only to stop as if it hit some kind of barrier. Cy stepped back and started swinging the rope over his head again.

"He tied his knife to his rope..." Maxwell stroked his chin thoughtfully. "He's a smart guy."

The back and forth between Cy and the cat continued for at least a minute, until Cy started slowing down. And then he just stopped, his chest heaving, he dropped down to one knee. The cat paused, unsure whether to take the now defenceless hamster. Sadly its stomach won over its brain. Sadly of course for the cat, Sandy could almost see Cy's grin of triumph from across the clearing. As the cat reached for Cy he snatched up his blade and drove it deep into the soft pad of the cat's paw.

Now the sad part for Cy; he forgot cats have two front paws. The cat hissed and swiped Cy high into the air with its uninjured paw, Cy was still gripping tightly to the rope causing the knife to be ripped out of the cat's paw as Cy flew through the air, creating a beautiful arc of blood in the afternoon light. Cy landed lightly near where Sandy and Maxwell were hiding.

He looked at them slightly annoyed. "No, no it's fine, really. You two just sit here and watch while I fight some giant thing ten times my size. Here Maxwell why don't you kiss her? That would make this moment perfect! If you just..." He suddenly trailed off, his eyes focusing on something in the distance. "No..." He breathed quietly, and took off.

Sandy followed his path with her gaze. The cat had decided that the dark cloaked hamster was to fierce of a meal, so it turned its attention to a ham that just appeared calling Cy, Sandy and Maxwell back to the clubhouse for lunch. Sandy stared in horror as the terrified ham took several steps away from the approaching feline before falling onto her back, her pink scarf fluttering in the breeze. The cat leapt letting out a yowl of triumph, which changed to confusion as it landed on nothing.

Cy pulled Pashmina along towards the relative safety of the rock. When she snapped out of her trance and started running on her own he released her paw. He stood doubled over for a moment trying to catch his breath. This was way more running then he was use to. He spun around just in time to see the sunlight reflect off of the cat's cruelly sharp claws. There was no time to dodge this blow, so he followed his instincts and covered his face. Raking pain exploded across his chest and arms and he was thrown backwards into the rock.

* * *

_Cy's eyelids started drooping. Was this really the way it was meant to end? With the girl he loved standing only a few hamsteps away. He slowly felt the darkness crash over him like a wave._

* * *

"_-y... –ey Cy... Hey Cy, wake up!" Cy slowly opened his eyes. He was back in the clubhouse, in his own bed. He stared at the worried faces surrounding him. He tried to sit up and a fresh wave of pain washed over his chest. His head crashed back to the pillow in an attempt to lessen the hurt. He looked up at the Hams. "What happened?" he asked, his voice sounded dry in his own ears. _

"_Well you were attacked by a cat..." Dexter began._

"_Shut up four-eyes, I wasn't talking to you. I was the one fighting it! Not off making out behind a rock." He glared at Maxwell, whose mouth was hanging open in protest. Cy switched his gaze to Sandy then called out. "Visiting hours are over! Get out NOW!" _

_The room was evacuated in fifteen seconds, except for one ham who stayed behind holding something in her hands._

_Cy shot her a death glare and hissed. "What do you want? Why are you still here?"_

_She paused and held out Cy sweater. "It got ripped by the cat, so I fixed it for you." She paused and took a deep breath. "And I wanted to thank you for saving me." _

_Cy cocked his head to one side then shrugged. "Just because your Sandy's friend."_

_Pashmina looked at the ground, her face red. "Was that the only reason?" She looked at him. But he had fallen asleep._

_She sighed and moved forward to place the hoodie next to him. Pashmina stopped right in front of him, glanced back at the door then gently kissed him on the forehead. Then she ran out of the room her face burning. _

_Cy slowly opened his eyes as she left. He would have to watch out for that one._

Hey guys! Hope you liked it. Please R+R


	7. Chapter 7

Wahoo! Second chapter in as many weeks and I feel great! Anyway thanks to AyameKira15 and to T S Moon Girl (formally known as Luna la Pond... I think) for reviewing. See? It's that easy. Anyway I was wondering how to continue the story when... *Idea* Mini adventure! Slightly pointless, and will take a few chapters. But enjoy anyway!

_It's been three days since the cat, and I'm still stuck in this stupid bed. No, literally stuck. Boss tied my wrist to the bedpost after my fifth attempt to get outside. I hate being inside for too long, it brings back bad memories . So I managed to content myself by destroying everything within reach; a lamp, a bedside table. Just as I was shredding the blankets, Boss and Maxwell wrestled my knife away from me. Now according to Pashmina, Boss wants to kick me out. Whatever, I've always done better on my own. _

_Pashmina is the only one that visits me since I 'freaked out'. I guess I'm grateful, she brings me food and gives me someone to talk to. She's really strange, but I guess she's just trying to thank me for saving her life. I really didn't. I was told that when I was knocked out and the cat was about to eat me that Mr. Hero jumped on its back and bit part of its ear off, Mr. Hero of course being Maxwell. He scared the cat by doing that? And now he's getting all the credit? He's really getting on my nerves... _

* * *

Pashmina gently opened the door to Cy's room, balancing a bowl of soup in her other paw. As she approached his bed his eyes flickered open and fixed on her. Instinctively she froze and a blush crept over her cheeks. He heaved himself to his feet with a groan, his free paw clutching as his stomach. His breathing was pained as he turned to face her. A small smile flickered across his face when he saw her expression.

"Good afternoon, how are you?" Cy asked and tried to move closer, but was stopped by the rope around his wrist. He sighed and started chewing on it.

Pashmina regained her composure and presented the soup to him. "Here, this might taste better." She giggled slightly.

Cy stopped trying to free himself and gingerly took the soup from her outstretched paws. He turned and walked back to his bed. Sitting on the edge of his bed he motioned for Pashmina to sit beside him, which she did. They sat in silence as he ate his lunch.

Finally Pashmina spoke up, "You know... when you can walk on your own, Boss is going to make you leave. What were you thinking? Why would you..."

Cy shushed her by putting his paw to her lips. "Look I'm sorry about that, but I know how to make it up to Boss. I know someone, he owes me a favour, and I think I could replace all of the stuff I broke. But I need to get out of here. Could you help me?" He asked. His eyes were sparkling and Pashmina found herself unable to look away. Wordlessly she got to her paws and disappeared out the door.

* * *

"_Like taking candy from a baby." Cy thought to himself_

* * *

When Pashmina fully realized what she was doing Cy had already received his knife from her and freed himself from his bonds. He was slipping on his newly mended sweater and admired the stitching. He approached Pashmina and shook her paw. "Thanks kid, I'll see you around."

Pashmina tightened her grip on his paw. "I want to go with you." She declared, causing him to snort in disbelief. "Come on Cy! You can barely walk right, and I'll make sure you don't run off and leave without paying back Boss."

Cy shook his head no. "There's no way I could take you with me, it's way too dangerous. You have no idea what the outside world is like."

Pashmina glared at him "If it's so dangerous, why go by yourself? That's just stupid! Please? I won't get in your way." She begged.

Cy exhaled loudly and massaged his temples. "I'm staying the night there, won't your owner get worried?"

Pashmina grinned inwardly, she was getting to him. "She's at a sleepover tonight, no one will notice I'm gone!"

He stepped away from her, rubbing the back of his neck. Pashmina held her breath as he looked her up and down. "Fine, but you do what I say. Stay close, don't talk to anyone, and if things look bad, run back here don't stop for me."

Pashmina nodded, excitement and dread co-mingling in her brain. Where would they be going?

* * *

They had been walking for what seemed like forever. Pashmina was tired, thirsty and dirty. They had left the clubhouse long behind them and were now somewhere Pashmina didn't recognize. There were human houses, but the windows and doors were boarded up, and there were no humans anywhere. Pashmina shuddered involuntarily and pressed closer to Cy. He cleared his throat and she moved further away.

They continued walking in silence, until Cy stopped in front of a particularly large house. Then he grabbed Pashmina's wrist (causing her to blush) and the two squeezed between a crack in the door to the inside. Pashmina's eyes grew wide as she saw the inside; there must have been a hundred hamsters there.

Cy yanked her forward and the two started moving again. Pashmina's initial wonder soon turned to horror as she got a closer look at the residents. There were some houses carved into the walls, but most of the hamsters looked like they just lived on the floor. Cy's face was set with a grim determination as he headed towards one house in particular. They had managed to get within a few hamsteps of the door before they were spotted.

"Hey buddy! How much for a night with that pretty thing your toting around." A youth called out.

The hairs on Cy's neck raised but instead of flinging himself at the guy, (as Pashmina would've expected) he turned and shouted back. "About a million times more then your mom charges you every night."

Pashmina got one look at the ham that shouted, a young one in a red headband and a now red face to match, and then Pashmina was dragged forward again.

Cy approached a door and gave three sharp knocks. A panel on the door slid open and a golden eye peered out at them. The ham the eye belonged to squealed and threw open the door.

"Cy!" She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Cy hugged her back for what seemed to Pashmina like an eternity before they finally broke apart.

"Cy I've missed you so much! How are you? You don't look so good. Wait who's that? Is she your girlfriend? She's really pretty!"

The young hams mouth was going a hammile a minute. Pashmina was completely stunned, while Cy just patted her on the head and smiled.

"I missed you too Rosie, and this is Pashmina, she's my friend." He spoke in a soft soothing voice, one Pashmina had never heard from him.

Rosie was younger and shorter then Cy, her fur was a beautiful gray with white flecks and she had a flower tucked behind her ear. Pashmina stared as Rosie moved closer to her and looked her up and down. "If she's not your girl-ham... why are you two holding paws?"

Cy instantly dropped Pashmina's paw but before he could reply Rosie was talking again. "Hi! I'm Rosie Cy's little sister. You better be nice to my brother or I'll..."

"Alright! Rosie could you take us inside please?" Cy asked. To which Rosie nodded and skipped off.

Cy smiled widely at Pashmina and followed his sister in. Pashmina shook her head before entering.

What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Thanks for reading! R+R please! It only takes 30 seconds


	8. Chapter 8

Jumping from 13 reviews to 29 in two days made me feel great! Thanks everyone! To anyone who wants to send Orange Milkshake hate mail; don't. He's a friend from school that; 1)Is French, 2)Thinks it's funny, and 3)Has never watched an episode of Hamtaro in his life.

Anyway thanks to Crystalgurl101, LIL KILLA 16 rugby girl, Tennisgurl14, AyameKira15 for the reviews.

And to PyrroNeko, it's great to see someone trying to help me improve on my story. Thank you so much! You were right about the whole cat thing, I just had the idea and threw it in. I'll try to make chapters longer, but I personally don't like to drag them out.

Thanks again everyone! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

"_I can't believe I'm back home. I really has changed, It seems... smaller, safer even. I can't wait to see everyone again. I've missed them all so much... especially Rosie." Cy glance at the small ham skipping, twirling and dancing as she led them down the familiar tunnel to his old place. _

_He felt Pashmina shudder as the cold black earth swallowed them up, and she pressed against him. He sighed inwardly; maybe bringing her on this trip was a bad idea. "But... you always told her she had no idea what the outside world was like. Maybe this will educate her..." Cy felt his back stiffen as a paw grasped his own. _

_This really wasn't a good idea, for either of them, when she got attached to him. It wouldn't work, he never got close, because he was like a roaring flame. And the closer she got, the more likely she would get burned . _

_His heart leapt to his throat as he saw the door approaching rapidly at the end of the tunnel. Rosie struggled with the massive iron roadblock until Cy stepped forward and yanked it open for them. He stood to one side as Rosie rushed into the room; her mouth was still running non-stop. Cy followed with Pashmina still latched onto his side. This was it. _

* * *

Pashmina was blinded by the sudden bright light streaming from the room. She blinked her eyes rapidly trying to clear them. And when she finally succeeded she immediately wished she was blind again... or maybe that everyone else in the room was.

7 eyes stared at this strange girl ham that suddenly appeared in the doorway, and those eyes widened as they noticed who she was clinging onto for dear life.

"Cy?" A young ham asked, and adjusted his glasses.

"Cy is that..." Another ham asked, blinking his one good eye in disbelief.

"Cy! Your back!" A third ham raced over and threw herself into Cy's arms. Pashmina was rudely disjoined from Cy as he caught the flying hamster and spun her around while she giggled with delight.

The spell broke, and the other hams rushed over to greet their friend. They chattered excitedly as Pashmina was completely forgotten. She stared in disbelief for a moment then her eyes started to drift.

The room they were in was huge! The ceiling was so high that if Maxwell had stood on Boss's shoulders he wouldn't be close to the roof. There were corridors to Pashmina's left and right leading to rows of doors. Directly in front of her was a mildly furnished living room with two couches and three chairs all arranged around a wooden table. An expensive looking carpet covered most of the floor and hand-drawn portraits adorned the walls.

Pashmina returned her gaze to Cy. What would she have to do to get his attention...

"CY! STOP IGNORING YOUR GIRL-HAM!" Rosie screamed over the hubbub.

Silence.

"That might work." Pashmina thought, embarrassed as every eye turn to her.

"Yes Cy, introduce us to your '_friend'_ over there." A ham with a green headband over his right eye grinned wolfishly at Pashmina.

Cy pushed his way to her side and faced the group.

"Guys..." He started before he was interrupted by some-ham clearing her throat. "And ladies." He continued. "This is my _friend _Pashmina." He emphasized the word 'friend' to the assembled hams.

"Pashmina these are my friends..." Cy pointed at the gray ham that was cleaning his glasses. "That's Patch; he's the best doctor in these parts."

"Surgeon. " Patch corrected as he replaced his glasses. "The best surgeon in these parts." He stepped forward to shake Pashmina's paw. Pashmina noticed his backpack had a red cross sewn onto the side, as well as the green bandana wrapped around his head, keeping a mess of fur out of his face.

"And," Patch continued, stepping back to put his arm around a ham-girl beside him. "This is Bubbles, my girl-ham."

Bubbles giggled cutely and gave Patch a peck on the cheek. Bubbles was an angelic white colour and wore a green bandana on her shoulder, almost like a badge. Both her ears were pierced with small golden studs and a brilliant smile on her face. She waved slightly at Pashmina not wanting to break contact with Patch.

Cy smiled fondly at the couple before continuing down the line.

"This is Ratchet; she keeps our stuff in top shape."

Pashmina recognized Ratchet as the girl who jumped on Cy and a twang of jealousy vibrated through-out her body. Ratchet was a dusty black colour and her green bandana was worn around neck, on her belt were several ham sized tools. She pursed her lips critically as she looked Pashmina up and down.

Cy scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Err... right, and this is Blink."

Blink adjusted his headband over his eye nervously. "It's a pleasure." He said as he shook Pashmina's paw.

"Anyway." Cy said, glancing at Blink. "I need to talk to Digger, is he around?"

Blink shook his head and Bubbles replied. "He's set up shop in the Sunflower Seed. Patch and I were planning to go there tonight, you can come with us."

"What about..."

"Blink and I were already planning on staying home to watch her." Ratchet jerked her head to where Rosie had run down one of the corridors.

Cy nodded then he spoke again, directing his question at Patch. "We were hoping to stay the night, are there any spare rooms around here?"

Patch stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well... there's your old one... "

"Great! Thanks!" Cy grabbed Pashmina's wrist and ran down a corridor. Pashmina saw nameplates on the doors fly by. '_Workshop', 'Storage' _and _'First aid' _all managed to imprint themselves in her mind. Finally Cy stopped in front of a door, void of nameplate, but had an outline where one might have once been.

Cy gently opened the door and the pair stepped inside. Compared to the living room the bedroom was sparse and void of any furniture with the exception of a bed and a dresser.

Cy exhaled fondly and moved forward to drop his rucksack on the bed. Pashmina watched as Cy made his way toward the dresser.

"Well, that could have gone better." Pashmina spoke, her voice sounded meek and embarrassed in her own ears

Cy ignored her insecurities and instead started rummaging through the drawers on the dresser instructing Pashmina. "Take off your scarf."

Pashmina did a double take. "You want me to do what?"

Suddenly Cy threw something out of the drawer onto her face. "You heard me." He faced her. "Take off your scarf and put that on."

Pashmina tilted her head forward slightly and let the green bandana fall into her paws. She stared at it in question.

"In here there's no law system, and not everyone... gets along. The color bandana you were dictates where your intentions and allegiances lie. Red are punks, they care only for themselves and will do anything to get what they want. We... the green, try to care for those less fortunate. That's why our group varies so much in skills, we need those skills in order to survive. Those with white bandanas call themselves the police, but they usually do more harm than good. Other colors are just trying to survive, they don't usually cause trouble. You're going to have to stick with m... us, so put on the bandana and we can go."

Pashmina continued to stare at the flimsy cloth that now seemed to mean so much. She still had one question for him. "Cy, what does a pink bandana mean?"

She looked up at him, and to her surprise he was blushing slightly. "Well they're... um, they're the um..."

"They're sluts!" A now familiar voice called from the hallway. "And Patch says to never be like them, no matter how pretty they look!"

"Thank you Rosie!" Cy called out, his face now fully red.

"Welcome!" Rosie replied, and the sound of paws disappearing down the hallway announced that she was gone.

Pashmina felt her own face grow hot as she gently removed her pink scarf and handed it to Cy, who stuffed it in his rucksack.

Pashmina managed to tie the bandana around her neck in a similar fashion to how she would were her scarf. Cy had put one on as well, his covered his nose and mouth making only his eyes visible under his hood.

Cy was pulling a trunk out from underneath his bed. Pashmina watched silently as he pulled out a silver cross on a chain. He stood up and kicked the trunk back under the bed. He approached Pashmina holding the cross.

"Here," His voice was slightly muffled by the bandana, "if anything happens..." He pulled on the edge of the cross and a small blade appeared. "Use it and run. Don't stop for anything. If something were to happen to you... "

Pashmina shivered as Cy gently placed the cross around her neck. She couldn't resist asking. "If something were to happen to me?"

Cy smiled. "Sandy would be pissed."

*SMACK*

_Cy rubbed his now stinging cheek ruefully, watching Pashmina storm out of the room._

"_Women! Who can figure them out?" _

* * *

I LOVED writing the dialog between Cy and Pashmina, and Rosie is really fun to write for.

Alright you know the drill R+R. And as an added bonus to get you and me motivated. A small spoiler.

The next chapter might contain a little PashminaxCy fluff. Only a bit, and all Pashmina induced. But Anyway R+R and I'll talk to you later!

OfTs


	9. Chapter 9

Hey... Thanks to: x-strekz-X-the-X-werecat, Point237, Luna La Pond Rugby Girl, silentlights, Airi257 Crystalgurl101 and AyameKira15 for reviewing. Whew! It's taking longer to write my thanks then the actual chapter. Anyway this chapter was supposed to be way longer but I prefer to post on Fridays so...

* * *

_Cy waited for a full 5 minutes after Pashmina left before returning to his trunk. His cheek was still sore but it wasn't going to kill him, unlike what he needed to prepare himself for. _

_He clicked the small clasps open and gently raised the lid, his lips flickering in their corners as he examined his collection. Everything Cy had picked up along his travels was organized in neat slots in the suitcase. Almost without thinking he moved his wrist so the knife slipped comfortably into his paw. He placed it in an open slot and thought for a moment, then grabbed a long blade, slightly heavier and with a guard for his paws. He also took a thin belt and tied it around his waist. Slipping the blade up his sleeve he closed the trunk and pushed it back under the bed._

_He stood up and shook his head viciously. His eyes caught something resting near the headboard of his bed, and his paw reached out to grasp the familiar wooden haft. Nervously he slipped it onto his back. He took a deep breath before leaving the room. He could do this._

* * *

Pashmina sighed slightly for the umpteenth time that minute, her paws toying with her necklace as she, Patch and Bubbles all sat in the living room waiting for a certain ham to emerge from his room.

Patch was lying on the couch with his arm around Bubbles, both lost in their own little world. Pashmina couldn't help but feel a small twinge of jealousy. Why couldn't she find someone like that? All she had to chose from was; a hopeless flirt, who would probably drop her the second another ham-girl so much as glanced in his direction, and two boys that never stopped fighting long enough to even _consider _her feelings. Meanwhile Sandy had her 'perfect' boyfriend and even had Cy fawning over her.

Speaking of the inconsiderate ham, he just appeared from around the corner. His face still hidden under the bandana, and a...

Bubbles looked up and laughed in delight. "So we're going to hear the musical styling's of the great Cy tonight?" She giggled, while Patch smiled slightly.

"Come on Bubbles." Cy patted the guitar neck protruding from over his shoulders. "I'm not great... I'm fantastic."

Pashmina rolled her eyes at the hams lack of humility while Patch and Bubbles stood up and started for the door. Cy stared expectantly at her and when she crossed her arms in front of her chest, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Are you coming with us?" He asked, his gaze locked on the door Patch and Bubbles disappeared out of.

Pashmina shook her head and replied. "Not until you apologize."

Cy's eyes flicked over and fixed on her face. Pashmina felt unexplained dread overtake her as his eyes bored into hers. "Then you can stay here." He growled and raced after Patch and Bubbles.

Pashmina sat in shock for a moment, before jumping to her feet and following Cy outside.

* * *

Pashmina skidded to a halt right outside the door, her eyes raced back and forth around the room, searching for her companion. He was standing next to a big ham guarding a door. Pashmina sprinted over to him just in time to hear the big ham tell Cy, Patch and Bubbles. "No one gets in without letting me check for weapons." Pashmina gasped at the size of the ham. He was bigger than Boss!

Cy however seemed unfazed as he snapped back. "Since when? I don't want you touching my stuff!"

The hamster stared down at Cy, adjusting the white headband around his forehead. "Since a fight broke out that left 5 dead and 20 injured." He snapped back.

Pashmina shuddered; suddenly she didn't want to go to this place anymore.

Cy was about to reply in a very impolite way, when Bubbles cut him off by thrusting her backpack into the guard's paws. The guard glanced at her before commencing rummaging through the bag. Almost immediately his paws rose up clutching a generous amount of a greenish powder.

"What's this?" He asked in a dangerous voice holding the powder before Bubbles face.

She looked up, shock tattooed on her face. "Well I don't know... Why don't you tell me?" Suddenly she blew the powder into his face. The guard immediately started coughing and choking. Bubbles grabbed her bag from his paws, and as he stumbled back into the wall, she walked into the blackness.

"God, I love you." Patch said as he followed her into the open door.

Pashmina stared in horror at the now limp form of the guard, when she felt a warm breath tickle her ear.

"It's only knockout powder." Cy whispered. She turned to face him, still not overly thrilled with his behaviour. He must have seen it in her eyes as he continued. "Look, I'm sorry alright? I wouldn't let anything happen to you because I care about you. As long as you wear that bandana, you're my family." He paused then, offered her his arm. "Good enough apology?"

Pashmina smiled shyly and nodded, linking her arm with his. And the two entered the darkness.

* * *

When Pashmina's eyes adjusted to the dark room she felt wonder swell up in her chest. This room was at least ten times bigger than Cy's living room and twice as tall. Tables were pushed to one side of the room leaving a huge space in the center of the room. Hamsters were everywhere! Some were sitting at the tables eating, others dancing to the music from a band onstage.

The one thing that made Pashmina nervous, was that most of the colors she saw were red or pink, with several whites and literally three greens. The band currently performing however were wearing blue, and a ham behind a counter wore a black headband.

Cy turned to Patch and yelled over the music. "Find us a table! We'll be back in a moment." Then Cy was pulling Pashmina towards the counter.

"Hey Digger!" Cy called to the ham in the black bandana. Digger turned to stare at the two hams from the other side of the counter, before chuckling heartily.

"Cy m'boy good to see you! Fancy a drink for you and your... lady friend?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at Pashmina.

"No, actually I need some stuff." Cy corrected giving Pashmina a sideways glance.

"Hmm... what kind of stuff?" Digger asked, moving closer.

"A lamp, a bedside table and a set of blankets. And I need them delivered to Boss's clubhouse... you know where that is right? And how much would that be?" Cy questioned.

Digger grinned. "I'll have it there first thing tomorrow morning. As for payment, why don't you play the group a song and we'll call it square. I can't take seeds from family."

Pashmina stared at Digger in question, causing him to smile warmly at her. He folded up his black headband to reveal a green one underneath. Pashmina's eyes winded in understanding causing both Cy and Digger to laugh slightly. Digger held out a paw and Cy slipped his guitar off his shoulder and handed it over.

Suddenly Diggers ears pricked up as the song changed from a quick to much slower pace. He shooed the two away. "Go on Cy, take the nice girl out for a dance."

Cy and Pashmina both waved good-bye to Digger as they left. Pashmina started towards the table where Bubbles and Patch were seated but felt Cy stop in the middle of the floor. She turned to see what was wrong, but he averted his eyes and mumbled something into his bandana. Pashmina cocked her ear in his direction.

"I can't hear you." She yelled above the noise.

Even after his reply, she thought she was still miss-hearing him. Her eyes grew in size and she stared in disbelief. Cy moved forward so his bandana ticked her ear. Now she was sure she knew what he said, however unlikely it might seem .

"Would you like to dance?"

* * *

Oh man I feel so bad for posting this... the ending was so forced... ugh. But if I continued then this chapter would be like 3,000 words and... I'm very impatient... and tired. On a lighter note I might have the next chapter posted as early as Monday. So enjoy... R+R please and once again sorry.

OfTs


	10. Chapter 10

Hey! I told you I'd make up for it. Thanks to Bamy-Kazuma , Airi257 Crystalgurl101 and AyameKira15 for reviewing.

Note: There are two songs in this chapter, you can skip them as I bolded and underlined both. Anyway I hope you like it.

* * *

"_How could this be happening? I don't know what came over me, but at the same time... it feels like the right thing to do. It must be a way of apologizing, that's it .It's just an apology, nothing more. But as I lead her onto the dance floor why does my heart ache? As I turn around to stare into her eyes, why can't I speak? And when she gently placed her paws around my shoulders why was my fur burning? Can I really... love her? No, I made a promise, to _**her**_ and myself, and I never break my promises." Cy stared into Pashmina's beautiful eyes and he felt his heart melt. _

"_There's always a first time for everything." A soft voice echoed in the back of Cy's head _

* * *

**The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting  
Could it be that we have been this way before?  
I know you don't think that I am trying  
I know you're wearing thin down to the core  
**

**But hold your breath  
Because tonight will be the night  
That I will fall for you over again  
Don't make me change my mind**

**Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true  
Because a girl like you's impossible to find  
You're impossible to find**

The words of the song left an imprint on Pashmina's mind, that would last her for the rest of her life. Her first real crush was holding her close, as they slow dance their first dance together. She felt electricity run up her spine from where his arms were wrapped around her waist, and she wished the moment would last forever.

**This is not what I intended  
I always swore to you I'd never fall apart  
You always thought that I was stronger  
I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start**

**Ohh, but hold your breath  
Because tonight will be the night  
That I will fall for you over again  
Don't make me change my mind**

**Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true  
Because a girl like you's impossible to find  
It's impossible  
**

The song started to pick up in pace and the other couples started dancing at a slightly quicker rate, but Pashmina continued her dance, lost in Cy's eyes. His eyes were fixed on her intently, an emotion clearly visible in them, but Pashmina couldn't tell which emotion it was... could it be love?

**So breathe in so deep  
Breathe me in, I'm yours to keep  
And hold on to your words 'cause talk is cheap  
And remember me tonight when you're asleep**

**Because tonight will be the night  
That I will fall for you over again  
Don't make me change my mind**

**Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true  
Because a girl like you's impossible to find**

Pashmina took a deep breath, and raised her paws to the edge of Cy's bandana, moving it from his mouth to his neck. He stared at her, slightly confused.

**Tonight will be the night  
That I will fall for you over again  
Don't make me change my mind**

**Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true  
Because a girl like you's impossible to find  
You're impossible to find**

Pashmina raised her head and gently pressed her lips to his. In that contact Pashmina felt as if she said more then she could tell him in a million years. Her first kiss... when she was a little girl she had run multiple scenarios over in her head of how it would happen, but this... never came up as a possibility. And Pashmina wouldn't have it any other way.

Just as the song ended, so did their kiss. Pashmina open her eyes in slight disappointment to see Cy standing a few hamsteps away. His paw was over his mouth in surprise, and his face was bright red.

"I-I-I... um I have to... u-um g-get ready... bye!" He squeaked and ran off.

Pashmina stood shock still as he disappeared from her line of sight, then she mentally went over what just happened. A small smile appeared on her face as she realized he hadn't rejected her kiss. She twirled in delight and made her way back to Patch and Bubbles.

This place must be growing on her; she never would've been brave enough to do that back at the clubhouse.

* * *

*15 minutes later*

_Cy was alone in the center of the stage, his only company a stool (which he was seated on), a microphone and his guitar. His eyes roamed over the audience. They were hard to make out thanks to the bright spotlight shining in his eyes, but he manages to catch a glimpse of Pashmina waving at him. He took a deep breath and started strumming, after a few chords he launched into his song**.**_

* * *

**Bright, cold silver moon.  
Tonight alone in my room.  
You were here just yesterday.  
Slight turn of the head,  
eyes down when you said, I guess I need my life to change.  
Seems like something's just not the same.  
What could I say?  
**

Pashmina's mouth hung open as she stared at Cy onstage. She had never heard him sing before, and he was fantastic. Out of the corner of her eye Pashmina saw Patch and Bubbles stand up and walk towards the dance floor.

**I need a little more luck, than a little bit,  
cause every time I get stuck, the words won't fit.  
And every time that I try to get tongue tied, I need a little good luck to get me by.  
I need a little more help, than a little bit.  
Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet.  
Cause every time that I try I get tongue tied, I need a little good luck to me by this time.**

**I stare up at the stars,  
I wonder just where you are,  
you feel a million miles away.  
Was it something I said, or something I never did.  
Or was I always in the way.  
Can someone tell me what to say, to just make you stay.**

**I need a little more luck, than a little bit,  
cause every time I get stuck, the words won't fit.  
And every time that I try to get tongue tied, I need a little good luck to get me by.  
I need a little more help, than a little bit.  
Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet.  
Cause every time that I try I get tongue tied, I need a little good luck to me by this time.  
**

Pashmina was still mesmerized by the song when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a young ham with a sly grin. A green bandana was tied around his head.

"Hey babe, I made a bet with my friends. If I could get a kiss from you they'd pay for my drinks for a week. So how about it?"

Pashmina felt like puking, but instead smiled sweetly and replied.

"No thank you, I'm here with my boy-ham." She waved her hand indicating Cy. The youth looked where she was pointing and laughed.

"Cy's your boy-ham? Why are you lying? There's no way he would go out with you."

Pashmina was indignant and asked. "Why couldn't I be his girl-ham?"

The youth scratched the back of his head. "Well… ever since his first girl-ham was killed he hasn't even looked at another ham-girl."

**I know it feels like the end,  
Don't want to be here again.  
And we could help each other off the ground, so we never fall down again. And what it takes I don't care,  
we're gonna make it I swear.  
And we could help each other off the ground, so we never fall down again, again.  
**

Pashmina stared at the youth, shock plastered on her face as he continued. "He was really broken up about it. Some punk with a knife tried to jump on his back, but Grace pushed Cy out of the way. Took the knife to the back of her skull." The ham tapped the back of his head as he said this.

**I need a little more luck, than a little bit,  
cause every time I get stuck, the words won't fit.  
And every time that I try to get tongue tied, I need a little good luck to get me by.  
I need a little more help, than a little bit.  
Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet.  
Cause every time that I try I get tongue tied, I need a little good luck to me by this time.  
**

"There's only one ham Cy will ever love, and that's Rosie. And she's not even his real sister." The youth continued, causing Pashmina's mouth to sag open slightly.

**I know it feels like the end,  
Don't want to be here again.  
And we could help each other off the ground, so we never fall down again. And what it takes I don't care,  
we're gonna make it I swear.  
And we could help each other off the ground, so we never fall down again, again.  
**

"If you're really his girl-ham... you two have a lot you need to discuss." The youth said, causing Pashmina to stare at the ground. When she looked up again the youth was gone, and Patch and Bubbles had returned to the table.

Cy had finished his song amidst polite applause, and was now making his way back to the table. As he sat, Patch clapped him heartily on the back.

"Wow, you've gotten better since the last time we saw you." Bubbles complemented him, causing Cy to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Pashmina saw Cy differently now, as an empty husk. No heart, no soul. She suddenly recognized what had been in his eyes earlier. Not love, but regret and pain.

"Pashmina, we have to get up early tomorrow. I'm going to take you home now." Cy snapped her out of her trance and helped her to her feet.

Patch and Bubbles opted to stay, so the two made the walk back in uncomfortable silence. Pashmina was trying desperately to figure out how to ask him, but nothing came to mind.

But when they reached the door to Cy's home it slipped out.

"Who are you?" She blurted, and as Cy turned to face her she continued. "What are you hiding from me?"

Cy stared, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Is Rosie really your sister?"

Cy turned his head so he was looking at the door. "Who told you otherwise?"

"Is she really your sister?"

"Pash---"

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Pashmina had no idea why she was yelling at him, but it had the desired effect.

"No... she's not."

"Who is she?"

"I-I-I found her."

Pashmina felt the urge to dig deeper. "And what about Grace, did you just find her too?"

With blinding speed Cy grabbed Pashmina by the shoulders and slammed her hard against the metal door. Tears sprang from her eyes as her head exploded with pain.

"Don't you EVER speak about her like that! I found Rosie abandoned on our doorstep and took her in. I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but if you think you can exploit me... your sorely mistaken."

Then Cy did the last thing she would've expected him to do.

* * *

Ohh.... what's going to happen? Wait and see!

P.S. I've been tipped off that someone is copying my story and just to warn everyone else... this guy has no humility. Watch your stories.

OfTs


	11. Chapter 11

I'm sorry! First I had severe writers block, then my stupid laptop deleted all my files, then my free trial of microsoft word expired so I lost everything... again. And now thanks to English class I realized this story has no plot. So I'm thinking of either scraping it, redoing it, or maybe just finish her up (Their's about 5 chapters left.)

Tell me what you guys think, in a review or pm or something.

Now thanks to all who reviewed and here's chapter 11

* * *

Pashmina closed her eyes tight, expecting him to hit her. A few seconds passed then she felt his paws slip off her shoulders. It took another few seconds before she could muster up the strength to reopen her eyes.

His eyes were directed at her, but his gaze was somewhere else... like he was looking through her.

Suddenly tears began to flow from the corners of his eyes. He tried to scrub them away with the back of his paw, but they continued to fall down his face. He finally gave up and let his arms fall to his sides, still crying.

Pashmina stood watching him, the throbbing pain in the back of her head keeping her from comforting him. She instead turned her back on him and opened the door, leaving him to his grief.

She slammed the door to the living room open, causing Blink and Ratchet to jump off the couch, breaking their passionate kiss.

Ratchet opened her mouth to speak, but Pashmina was too upset to talk, so she turned down the corridor leading to Cy's room. Arriving at the door, she threw it open and launched herself onto the bed inside the room. The bed was void of pillows or blankets, but Pashmina didn't mind. She simply curled up into a ball and cried. She cried and cried until she had no more tears to cry, and even then she simply lay there, caught somewhere between grief and anger. Grief that she would never be first in his heart, always behind Grace, a ham who was no longer with him, and Sandy, even though she was deeply in love with someham else. She started sobbing again. Why was life so unfair?

She heard the door behind her open, and footpaws padded across the floor towards her. Pashmina looked up and was surprised and disappointed to see Blink standing over her. He sighed and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Come on Pashmina, dry those eyes… What's wrong?" Blink spoke softly, his face creased with worry.

She didn't want to talk to anyone right then, but for some reason told Blink everything. Her dance, the strange ham who told her everthing (to which Blink shook his head in disbelief), and her confrontation with Cy that ended a lot different then she had hoped.

For her entire story Blink had not spoken one word but upon her completion of her story he spoke softly. "So Cy hasn't told you anything?"

Pashmina looked at the floor, conforming Blink's question. He sighed. "Look, I'm not going to pry into your personal business, but I know you really care about Cy, and even if he doesn't show it in conventional ways, he really likes you. And you two need to have a serious talk."

Pashmina nodded dejectedly, he was the second ham to tell her that today. Blink stood up and made his way to the door.

"Blink, where is Cy right now?" Pashmina asked to which he smiled and opened the door, revealing Cy standing just outside.

Blink nipped smartly outside and shut the door behind him leaving Pashmina alone with Cy.

He looked like she felt, the fur under his eyes was tear streaked and his eyes were red and tired. He slowly stepped towards her, an air of determination surrounding him. He sat on the bed next to her, and reaching out hugged her body tightly to his.

He broke away from he and kissed her gently on the nose. "I'm sorry… for hurting you." He mumbled.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry for prying into you're personal business, I was just curious." She replied blushing slightly.

He nodded. "I'm going to tell you something, but it's for your ears only. Not Boss' or Stan's or even Sandy's. Yours only. Understand?"

Pashmina nodded, slightly dumbfounded.

Nine Ham-Year Earlier.

Cy held the sliver of wood, in front of him, shaking slightly as his eyes regarded the group of punks. He was doomed, he knew that much. He wasn't a fighter and these guys looked ready to kill him.

"Come on kid, hand over the backpack and we'll let you go."

What? No way he was giving up his backpack. Everything he owned was in there.

"No way, this stuff is mine." Cy shot back, his voice sounding braver then he felt.

One of the group stepped forward and Cy instantly pointed his weapon at him. The punk took another step forward. Cy suddenly charged, attempting to stab him. The punk simply sidesteped and let Cy crash into the wall behind him. His makeshift spear drove into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Cy groaned and rolled over clutching at his middle. Cy, through the red mist of pain saw their leader pull out a long bladed knife.

Before Cy could even attempt to react to the impending danger, a loud bang sounded and a yellow gas surround him. His eyes started to water and he began coughing violently. A pair of paws hauled him to his feet. A green bandanna was placed over his mouth and nose and he was dragged away from the noxious gas. Through tear blurred eyes he tried to make out the face of his rescuer. Cy's body started to slip out of reality. The last thing he heard was a voice.

"Mutt! You're holding the bandanna to tight! He can't breath!"

* * *

Not my best work, it sounded forced to me. Thanks for reading and again, sorry.

OfTs


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks to those who reviewed! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Cy's eyes flickered, and then opened slowly. He was in a bed, in a room he had never seen before. He coughed weakly and raised his head slightly. Suddenly a grey ham popped up in front of his eyes. Cy squeaked in fright and fell out of the bed, struggling away from the strange ham.

"Whoa! Whoa, hey calm down! I'm not going to hurt you."

Cy's eyes quickly raced over his face, studying first his eyes, then his mouth, and finally his ears. No indication that he was lying to him.

"My name is Patch, and I was taking care of you. You inhaled a bit too much of Bubbles' sleeping powder, so we brought you here." Patch explained, scratching the back of his head.

"Here… where are we?" Cy asked.

"Oh! You're in my house! Well the house we share. Me, Ratchet, Bubbles, Digger, and Mutt, we all live together. Kinda like a family." Patch chattered animatedly. "Come on; let's go introduce you to them!"

"Uh… that's alright; I'll just take my stuff and go…"

"Kid, how old are you?" Patch asked, his voice sounding suspicious.

Cy's eyes roamed around the room, his brain searching desperately for a plausible answer.

"Twelve… I'm twelve ham-years old." Cy declared, to which Patch snorted.

"You? There's no way your twelve. I'm eleven and your way younger then me… look why don't you just tell me the truth?"

Maybe it was something about his voice that Cy found comfort in, or maybe it was that throughout the conversation Patch had radiated the same kindness vibe, but either way Cy found himself regretting lying to him.

"I'm eight…" Cy admitted. Patch sighed and moved to put his paw around Cy shoulder.

"Eight… your only a little kid. What were you doing out there by yourself?"

"I… don't have anywhere else to go… I'm all by myself." Cy felt tears build up in the corners of his eyes and a shadow of despair covered him.

Patch's grip tightened slightly. "Not anymore kid, you're not alone anymore."

**Three days later**

Cy hesitated in front of the door, his paw centimetres away from the wood surface. He triple checked the name plate, and again it said "Workshop." His paw tapped against it, his ears picked up the sounds of things crashing and a girlish voice cursing quite heavily.

Cy glanced at the hammer clenched in his paws. He had found it in the couch cushions and Digger had told him to return it to Ratchet, but after what he just heard, maybe he should come back later.

Just as he was about to leave the door opened and Ratchet popped her head out.

"Yeah? What do you want?" She asked, her voice betraying a mixture of anger and fatigue.

Cy started to reply, but his tongue refused to move. Her eyes unnerved him, like he was facing a cat that had every intention of making him its next meal. Instead he simply held out the hammer to her, his eyes never leaving her face.

Her eyes glanced downwards at the hammer, her ears pricked up and a small smile flickered across her features. All signs she was pleased with his find. His suspicions conformed by what happened next.

"You found my hammer…" She reached forward and took it out of his hands. The two stood there for a moment, and then Ratchet leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

Cy, not expecting it, leapt into the air, came down awkwardly and landed flat on his behind, prompting a hearty laugh from Ratchet.

"You stay right there. I've something else for you." She told him, and then disappeared into her workshop.

Cy remained seated on the ground, lightly touching his cheek. It wasn't long before she reappeared in the doorway, several objects clenched in her paws.

"Ok, first I took the liberty of making you a new sweater cuz yours has holes all over it, and before you say anything I know it's too big, but you'll grow into it. Also here's a bigger backpack and a green bandana."

As she was speaking she was throwing each object to him. Cy caught the sweater and backpack, but missed the bandana and it landed comically on top of his head. He blew a breath upwards, causing it to fly off his head and neatly onto the pile.

"What's the bandana for?" Cy asked examining the piece of cloth.

"It shows your one of us." Ratchet explained, and then she winked at the young ham.

"Welcome to the family Cy."

**One ham-year later**

"So Cy, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Digger questioned.

They were seated in the living room, just the two of them. Digger was lounging on the couch, while Cy sat on a chair, nervously fiddling with his paws.

"Err… um, I was just wondering… what's my job here?" Cy had been asking himself the question, but couldn't answer it.

Digger was silent, so Cy continued, his voice gaining momentum as he kept talking.

"I mean, how do I contribute to this group? I don't do anything except eat your food… oh sure I help Patch or Ratchet with small things, but even that… Last time I tried to help Bubbles mix a compound I blew up half her lab. I don't have a special skill that could help us or the populace… why do you keep me here?"

Digger was stroking his chin thoughtfully and remained silent.

"You don't know… so I really am just dead weight…"

"Cy, what am I thinking of right know." Digger cut in, neatly stopping Cy's thoughts of self loathing.

Cy was taken aback slightly by the odd question, but tried to answer what Digger asked of him. His eyes raced over Digger's features. First his mouth, twisted in a loose frown, then his eyes, silently asking a question, and finally his ears, lowered slightly in disappointment.

"You want me to stop talking so badly about myself." Cy declared nervously.

Diggers face lit up with a huge smile.

"Exactly right…"

"And now you have an idea."

"Again, you're right Cy."

Cy felt the cloud of hopelessness lift off his shoulders at these words, and was replaced by boundless excitement.

"If you have a job I can do, then by all means tell me!" Cy exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

Digger's smile grew even wider at the young ham's eagerness. "What do you think about…"

* * *

I hope you liked it! Please don't forget to review.


	13. Chapter 13

Hooray! I'm back! Sorry about the wait, I've been working on an actual novel recently, and I'vw had no real idea where this story was headed but I'll try to finish it as best as I can for you guys. And as always Thank you to those who reviewed and thank you for you patience.

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**Two ham-years**** later**

"And if the two of you just remember why you chose each other, then you're love can last through anything."

The young couple stared at Cy for a moment, then at each other.

"I… always loved your laugh." The ham-boy admitted sheepishly, causing his counterpart to blush and giggle.

"Exactly like that, little compliments every day can go a long way toward making a relationship work." Cy explained, a small smile visible on his face.

The young couple stood up, thanked him profusely, and left, paw in paw.

Cy had been working as an psychiatrist out of an abandoned room next to "The Shelter" (that what the local's called Digger's place,) for about a year and a half now, and had done quite well for the family. Digger had told him it was the obvious choice of job for Cy, as the young ham could read the faces of others like an open book, probably a by-product of his life on the streets.

Suddenly there was a loud banging on the front door. Cy felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle; he did not have any more clients booked for today. Before he could react a flash of pink ripped open the door, darted inside, and slammed and bolted it close again. The figure spun around and placed her back firmly against the door, her eyes betraying sharp and unreasonable panic.

"W-what are you doing?" Cy heard himself stutter. He was afraid of this ham, not only did she look both older and stronger then him, but it was almost impossible to tell how one would react to the desperation plainly visible on her face.

His fears were conformed when the she-ham pulled out a small knife from under her bandana and slowly advanced on him.

"Whoa, hey l-let's calm down." Cy said as he was backed against a wall with the point of the knife tickling his throat.

"What's your name kid?" She asked.

"Cy, but why…" Cy was cut off by the blade pressing slightly into his neck.

"Now listen good Cy, there's about 7 reds out there, and unless you want them to break down this door and kill both of us, you'll shut your mouth… Understand?"

Cy would have nodded but if he had moved his head forward at all, he probably would have managed to slit his own neck.

The ham-girl glared at him for a moment longer before dropping her hand to her side and moved to the middle of the room, her free paw running through the silver grey fur on her head.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"Eleven." He responded.

"Awww… how cute." She cooed, then her face hardened, "Don't think just cuz I'm a girl I won't follow through on my threats."

Cy nodded viciously. "Of course Ms…"

The girl ham sighed. "They call me Grace…"

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Pashmina rolled over and promptly fell out of the bed. Staring at the ceiling she tried to collect her bearings. She remembered listening to his story, then…

"Oh great," She spoke aloud to herself. "I managed to fall asleep while he was telling me his life story. How considerate."

Pashmina stood up and stretched, the bed had been comfortable but the fall to the floor had jarred her back slightly. Then with a small yawn she made her way out of Cy's room and into the hallway.

As she passed door after door heading towards what she hoped was the main room she started to notice a peculiar smell in the air. She stopped and sniffed, only to discover it smelled like sunflower seeds, only… different.

Following the smell she found herself traveling past the main room and into the other corridor. This hallway was lacking the quantity of doors that the other one possessed, in fact it only had one opening, at the very end of it.

Pashmina moved over to the doorway and peered inside. Her eyes were greeted by the sight of Rosie flipping a pancake and neatly catching it again on a plate. She then passed the plate to Blink, who walked it over to the table where Patch, Bubbles, Ratchet and Cy were seated, and placed it in front of Ratchet.

Pashmina stood in the doorway for a while longer watching the young girl work before she was spotted and waved over to the table. As she slid into an empty seat between Cy and Patch a fresh pancake was placed in front of her. She dug in hungrily, remembering that the last time she ate was yesterday when Cy had given her a sunflower seed while the two were walking.

She heard Cy chuckle softly when she had swallowed the last bite, and he pushed half of his breakfast to her. She turned to thank him but he had gotten up and walked away, paws on the back of his head.

Pashmina watched him leave the room via the door in the kitchen, knowing fully well that she wasn't supposed to follow him. Instead she continued eating, this pancake vanishing much more slowly then the first.

By the time she had finished Cy had returned to the table dressed in his sweater and carrying his rucksack.

"Ready to go?" he asked her, when she nodded and stood up, everyone else at the table followed suit, each of them moving forward to give Cy and hug or shake his paw. But when they had finished they all stood around awkwardly looking at Pashmina, unsure of what they should do.

"Really?" A voice called from the kitchen, "You guys are just going to let her leave without even saying goodbye? Ugh… you're all hopeless."

Before anyone could react a small ball of fur came hurtling for the kitchen only to come to a screeching halt in front of Pashmina. Rosie smiled up at the older ham-girl before hugging her tightly and whispering in her ear. "Please take care of him Pashmina."

Pashmina smiled and patted the young ham on the head. And with that small gesture she was surrounded by Cy's family all wishing her well. It took Cy five minutes to detangle her from the group so the two could start their long walk back. Pashmina groaned inwardly at the thought, but never the less she followed him out of the kitchen, to the main room, waited patiently for him to un-bolt the main door, and walked next to him out into the brightness of the abandoned human house.

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They had only just lost sight of the house when Cy spoke for the first time all day.

"You want to know how she died, don't you." He asked, glancing over at her.

Pashmina was taken aback by what he had said. "What? No not… I mean not if it's hard for you… besides that guy told me…"

"Yeah I saw you talking to Boom-Boom last night. And though he told you the truth, he probably didn't tell you the whole story. And I know how much you love my stories, that last one had you on the edge of your seat." He said with a grin.

She blushed, still angry with her self for last night. "If it doesn't hurt you to talk about it…"

"It use to," he admitted, "but I took some of my own advice, and move on like she would have wanted me to. And you deserve to know to know a bit more about me, I guess." He responded.

Pashmina moved closer to him and grasped his paw, trying to offer her support in reliving the hardest moment in his life.

"When I was 15…"

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To be continued…

He-he, I love cliff hangers. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and if not then sorry for wasting your invaluable time.

And I hope you decide to give it a small review. And if not, I stil hope you enjoyed it.

I'll try to get a new chapter up soon, but knowing me that could be anywhere from a week to a couple months.

Catch you guys later,

OfTs


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry! I know it's been to long, but I promise this story will be compleated one way or another.

And thanks to all those who reviewed so long ago

/

"Okay kids gather round, we have something huge going down today!"

Cy jumped slightly at Digger's loud voice booming out, causing the sleeping Grace, who was using his lap as a pillow, to be jarred off the couch and onto the floor. Cy was instantly on his feet helping her back up. She glared at him good naturedly before accepting his paw. She hugged him tightly, and even as the rest of their family gathered and Digger started to speak she didn't let him go. Cy felt himself blush but he loved the affection, and he loved Grace.

"Alright kids we've heard reports of a young girl, wandering around The Sunflower Seed. Now normally this wouldn't be so high priority, but apparently some of the pinks and reds have started to "convert" her."

"I don't see how this concerns us in the slightest." Mutt spoke up his paws crossed in front of his chest.

Digger's eyes flickered over to Mutt, causing the younger ham to take a slight step back.

"She's six."

Mutt was gone in an instant to the armament room. Grace let go of him so she could cover her mouth with her paws. Ratchet stood stunned for a moment before she ran after Mutt.

"Bubbles, we'll need some knockout powder, things could get really ugly really quickly. Cy, Claire, you both are in charge of the little girl." Grace nodded determinedly, just as Mutt returned with a long blade on his back, and Ratchet dragging a large club behind her. Digger lifted up the club with one paw and placed it on his shoulder.

"Now remember, violence is to be avoided if possible, so everyone only jump in if things start spiralling downwards." Digger stared at Mutt, causing the younger ham to roll his eyes. Cy remembered the last time Mutt jumped in earlier then he needed to and almost cost Patch his life.

Cy gulped, and grasped Grace's paw for reassurance, and felt her squeeze back. It'll all work out in the end. It always did.

/

Cy took one last deep breath and stepped into the club, his mind was immediately deadened by the loud music, and it took him a moment to straighten his thoughts out. His eyes searched for their target, but the pulsing music hurt his head.

Luckily Grace was more used to this scene and was able to spot a girl who was way too young to be there. Grace reached over and adjusted Cy's red head bandana before checking her own pink one. Then the two of them made their way forward into the large group of hams.

Cy gulped as they neared a group of hams wearing red and pink bandanas, leaning against a far wall next to the bar.

_It's alright, just remember; find the leader, talk to him, be friends, stroke his ego a bit. __Get the young one, and get the heck out of there. _Cy felt his pulse slow down a bit, a well built plan always put him at ease.

Cy did a quick rundown of the group, 5 girl-hams; three of them fussing over the young ham, and two of them standing on either side of a well muscular ham. He had his paws on both their shoulders.

_Leader: check._

Besides him, there were 3 others, all really tough looking, and all wearing red bandanas. Cy was terrified out of him mind, but he drove it to the back of his head and instead put a cocky smile on his face and swaggered up to the big ham, offering a hand to be shook.

"Sup' bro, names Blade, this here's my girl Sparkle."

Cy mentally winced. That sounded absolutely horrible, but the ham reached forward to grasp his paw. "Right, names Dominique, what brings you here?"

Cy shrugged. "I heard a pretty big shot boss would be here, so I came to check it out."

"And I must say that they weren't lying." Grace cut in, stepping forward to feel his arm, biting her lip slightly. Dominique grinned and let her feel him up a little more before she stopped and returned to Blade's side.

"Dominique we also came over to ask you for a favour." Grace said, still biting her lip.

Dominique raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak, so she continued. "We heard that you had found a little one around here, and I always wanted a sister. So if you don't mind I would really like to adopt her."

"And what do I get out of this deal?" Dominique asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Grace grinned. "Then I'd be grateful." She moved closer to run her paws down his chest. "Very, very grateful." She licked her lips and drew away, leaving Dominique visibly shaken. Grace grinned, "Do we have a deal?"

Dominique swallowed then turned to his nearest henchman. "Go get her, NOW!" The henchman scurried away. Cy smiled to himself, Grace was always convincing in her role, and even though it bothered him she had to degrade herself to the level of these other girls. The henchman returned a few moments later leading a young ham-girl behind him.

Grace kneeled down so she was eye level with the youngster. "Hi sweetie, my name's Sparkle, and I'm going to be your new big sister, if that's okay with you."

The young ham stared at her bewildered for a few moments before nodding slowly. Grace pulled her into a hug before lifting her up and placing her on Cy's shoulders.

"Now Sparkle about you're end of the bargain…"

"Boss!" Two more big hams pushed their way through the crowd, dragging a figure at their side. Cy gasped as he recognized the figure as Mutt, the headstrong fighter, struggling hard against the two muscle heads, but their grip on his arms were too tight to break free from.

Dominique smiled slightly, and then pulled out a knife, approaching the restrained ham with a sick grin on his face. "Well if it isn't our little friend. Oh don't act like you don't remember, you were the one who killed 2 of my hams last week. Well now it seems that the tables have turned, and I think their deaths will be truly avenged."

Mutt glared at him for a moment before spitting at his foot paws. "Do your worst you ego maniacal psychopath."

Cy meanwhile had sent the young ham across the room to where he could see Ratchet standing with Patch, both of them wearing worried expressions of their faces.

Cy gritted his teeth, and as Dominique was preparing to strike he made his move. He pulled out a light club from his belt and threw it with all his strength. By some luck it hit Dominique square between his ears, knocking him to the floor. One of the guards holding Mutt released his arm slightly at this, and that was all he needed. Mutt yanked his paw free and with blinding speed sliced both guards; one he amputated his paw, causing him to fall to the floor screaming, and the rest of the club to be vacated. The other fell without a sound, his neck grinning from side to side.

Cy was already running, pulling Grace with him, and he could hear Mutt's heavy breathing behind him. As they neared the exit Bubbles appeared, pulling one of her studs of. A green gas immediately started to escape from it, and she rolled it into the club just as Cy escaped. They continued running, until they reached the rest of the group, who were waiting a short distance away. Cy leaned onto his knees, unused to so much running.

"Mutt! What were you thinking…?" Digger was yelling at the youth, who merely shrugged and let Digger chew him out, and within seconds everyone was into it, yelling and fighting with each other.

Cy watched them fight, not wanting to get involved. He instead checked behind them, and saw a sight that made his blood freeze in his veins, four shadowy figures that were emerging from the cloud of gas, all wearing improvised gas masks and all carrying some sort of weaponry.

Cy opened his mouth, but Grace beat him to it. "Digger we have a problem…"

Digger turned around to face where she was pointing, then, without any urgency or panic in his voice spoke to the rest of the group.

"Alright kids, back to the house, double time."

"That may be a problem." Patch spoke up, pointing to where three punks, who had just until moments before had been leaning on the wall started moving closer to them, blocking the path to freedom.

Mutt and Digger instantly moved so each was facing one of the other groups, Mutt on the right drawing his blade on Dominique's group and Digger on the left facing the small rabble.

"A trap." Ratchet muttered retrieving a carpenter's hammer from her belt. "The damn punks set a trap for us."

Cy was hyperventilating, his paw reaching for a weapon that he didn't have, until Patch slipped him a super sharp scalpel.

"This is going to be fun." Mutt said whirling his blade as Dominique stopped to stand his ground a few steps away.

"Now kids remember what you've learned and we'll get through this." Digger said, his voice still lacking in any fear.

Cy nodded, placed a protective hand on Grace's shoulder, who in turn was holding the young ham close to her.

It had to work, it always did.

/

Thanks for reading a please review to let me know someone still cares about this dusty old story.

And if anyone feels really strongly about me not putting in graphic violence please let me know. (I don't want to wreck happy, childish Hamtaro for y'all but a gang fight with no graphic violence... could be tough.)

Until next time!

OfTs


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